Flocking apparatus



Dec. 14, 1965 R A ROSS ETAL I 3,223,329

FLOGKING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 1s, 1962 3 sheets-sheet 1 f l i",

0/ .A g INVENTORS Dec. 14, 1965 R. A. Ross ETAL FLOGKING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan, 16, 1962 Dec. 14, 1965 R A R055 ETAL 3,223,329

FLOCKING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 16. 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent O 3,223,329 FLQCKING APPARATUS Ronald A. Ross, Adolph W. Ross, and Marie Eva Ross, all of Box 676, Antioch, Ill. Filed Jan. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 166,480 j Claims. (Cl. 239 142) The present invention relates to the spray coating of sticky granular materials, and is more particularly concerned with an improved method and apparatus for applying ock and the like materials.

An important object of this invention is to provide a compact apparatus for applying granular materials such as ock having an activatable adhesive interspersed therein, the apparatus being adapted to expel the material from an applicator in an adherable condition to coat articles for decorative or protective purposes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for coating objects with flock, which method is characterized by passing a turbulent, swirling stream of flock through a mist of an adhesive-activating agent to react with an adhesive suspended in the stream thereby to transform the flock into an adherable condition.

Still another object is to provide a method of the type described in the foregoing object which may be readily and satisfactorily practiced by operators having slight skill and training.

Yet another object is to provide an improved method for coating objects with flock whereby the ock is applied in a thoroughly sticky state and which method materially reduces the quantity of dust generated dispersed into the surrounding atmosphere.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a compact canister unit for holding a supply of Hock whereby an activatable adhesive interspersed in the ock is maintained in substantially intermixed condition.

Yet another object is to provide an improved canister of the type described having a hopper for llock and a substantially enclosed mechanism compartment through which a stream of cooling air is directed about a motor mechanism therein prior to entering the flock propelling means.

Still another object is to provide an improved ock applying apparatus for congurating a stream of airsuspended dry llock carrying an activatable adhesive in a swirling path having an annular cross section and to direct a mist of an adhesive-activating material into said path.

Yet another object is to provide an apparatus as described in the latter object wherein the stream of dry flock is received into an expansion chamber and expelled therefrom into a conically directed mist of atomized particles of an adhesive-activating material.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus which is economical and simple to use for rapidly and efliciently coating objects for decorative and other purposes.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular steps of the method and arrangement of the elements of the apparatus whereby the above-outlined and additional operating features are attained.

The present invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of an apparatus constituted in accordance with the principles of the present invention and including a canister having a cover and 3,223,329 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 lCe a iiock applicator gun, the gun being shown in a condition for directing a stream of sticky ock into contact with an evergreen tree;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, vertical sectional View of the canister shown in FIG. 1 and having the cover removed therefrom, the section being taken along the line 2 2 therein;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 3 3 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, horizontal sectional View taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 4 4 in FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of a ilock metering apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the metering apparatus being shown in a closed position;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 6 6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional View taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 7 7 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 8 8 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a view taken generally in the direction of the arrows along the line 9 9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 1i) 10 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 1l is a transverse sectional View, on the scale of FIG. 10, taken in the direction of the arrows therein along the line 11 11; and

FIG. 12 is a view similar t-o FIG. 1l but taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 12 12 in FIG. 10.

In FIGURE 1 of the drawings there is shown a ocking apparatus made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention, and including a canister, designated generally 10, in operative association with a docking gun, designated generally 12, which is depicted as applying a stream of ock 14 to a oonifer or evergreen tree 17. The flock 14 is commonly applied to objects such as the Conifer 17 for purposes of decoration, the flock 14 also affording a degree of reproofing when a tire-resistant agent is incorporated in the body of the liock material. Although the varieties of its constituents are numerous, flock, in the dry state, is generally granular in quality and is a mixture of nely cut bers of rayon, cotton, or wool having a powdered adhesive, usually of a starch or wheat flour base, comprising approximately 331/3 of the bulk. As is known, such an adhesive is activatable when brought into contact with moisture, thereby to produce a sticky substance. Further, the flock composition may include mica or small particles of bright metallic elements to atord a sparkling quality to the object therewith.

The canister or housing 10 comprises a metal, cylindrical casing 12 divided into a compact mechanism compartment 15 and an upper compartment or hopper 16 by a circular diaphragm plate or hopper bottom 18 suitably secured, as by welding, to the casing 12. The portion of the casing 12, which extends above the hopper bottom 1S, is circular and forms a circular wall of the hopper 16. The upper end ot' the hopper 16 is open for purposes of supplying therein a quantity of the dry ilock 14 having an interspersed powdered dry adhesive. A cover 20 (shown in FIG. l) may be fitted over the open end of the hopper 16 to afford a degree of protection to the flock 14 stored therein. The upper edge of the casing 12 is encased in a smoothly shaped ringof material 22 which covers the sharp edges and prevents cutting of the hands during handling of the canister 10, clearly shown in FIG. 2.

Referring particularly now to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, a multiarmed agitator 24 is operatively mounted over the diaphragm plate 18 in the hopper 16. The agitator 24 includes a central hub 26 having eight elongated arms 28 radiating outwardly therefrom in an equally spaced apart relationship. As will be seen clearly in FIG. 4, the free ends of seven of the arms 28 terminate a short distance away from the inner surface of the casing 12. An arm 28a, on the other hand, includes a curved end portion disposed in a close relationship with the inner surface of the casing 12 thereby to sweep any flock which tends to adhere to the walls.

It has been found that where an agitator such as the device 24 is not provided, the adhesive interspersed in the ilock 14 tends to stratify and settle out and the flock tends to cake or bridge onto the walls of the casing 12. The operation of the agitator 24 materially reduces the tendency of the flock to stratify and cake within the hopper 16.

A slow speed gear motor 30, shown best in FIG. 2, is arranged in the mechanism compartment 14 thereby to present a vertical shaft 32 extending through an aperture in thev diaphragm plate 18 to engage the hub 26 of the agitator 24. The housing of the gear motor 30 is secured tothe diaphragm plate 18 by a plurality of fasteners 34, shown best in FIG. 4. The motor 30 being connected to an electric power switching source, to `be described hereinafter, revolves the agitator 24 at approximately 8 r.p.m. It has been found that when the hopper 16 contains a quantity of from 3 to 25 pounds of dried flock a 1/30th horsepower gear motor 30 is satisfactory to rotate the agitator 24 sufficiently to prevent adhering of the ock to the hopper walls.

A group of circular openings 36 are disposed in the diaphragm plate 18. to pass ock therethrough by gravity into a funnel-shaped intake 3S of a high speed blower 40. As shown best in FIG. 6, the upper end of the funnelshaped intake 38 extends into proximate underlying relation tothe hopper bottom 18 but is spaced somewhat from the hopper bottom to define between the hopper bottom and the upper end of the intake 38 an intake opening 19 through which the blower 40 sucks intake air from a region adjacent the flock outlet openings 36. The outlet openings 36 define an outlet area in the hopper bottom 18 through which flock is discharged from the hopper down into the intake 38. It will be noted with reference to` FIG. 4 that the outlet openings 36 are located in a pattern extending over a discharge zone in the hopper bottom 18 that subtends to the axis of the hub 26 a radial angle equal to approximately twice the angular spacing between adjacent agitator arms 28 extending from the hub. This arrangement assures that upon rotation of the arms 28 the discharge zone of the hopper bottom 18 defining the outlet openings 36 is continuously swept by two overlying arms 28, each movement of an arm 28 out of overlying relation to the discharge zone being synchronized automatically with movement of another arm into overlying relation to the discharge zone. The result is to produce continuous feeding of flock at a constant rate out through the outlet openings 38 into the underlying air and flock intake 38 into the blower 40. To afford a metering of the flock into the intake 38 a reciprocable shutter 42 is operatively mounted on the plate 18 beneath the group of openings 36. More specifically, a spaced pair of channel elements 44, shown in FIGS 4-6, receive the edges of the ilat shutter 42 to provide a smooth action as the shutter 42 is moved in a horizontal plane. A plurality of spaced openings 46 are arranged in the shutter plate 42 whereby the openings 46 are in register with the openings 36 in the position of the shutter as shown in FIG. 4.V Conversely, when the shutter plate 42 is urged forward as by pushing an outwardly extending handle 48,

4 the openings 36 are closed by the shutter plate 42, clearly shown in FIG. 5

The inlet 38 of the blower 4t), being disposed immediately beneath the openings 36, 46, channels the ock into the turbine casing or scroll and into the eye of a high speed, rotatable impeller or rotor 50. The multiblade impeller 50 rotates in response to power applied to a vertical axle 52 having a pulley 54 securely mounted thereon. As shown in FIG. 7, the impeller 50 includes an offset outlet 56 which projects tangentially from the blower casing and extends through an opening in the casing 12, thereby to present a connection means for receiving a conduit thereover.

Power is supplied to the pulley 54 of the rotor 50 from a high speed electric motor 58 arranged in the mechanism compartment 15. The motor 58 is provided with an internally arranged pulley 60, and a slot (not shown) is arranged in the motor casing to receive therethrough a power transfer belt 62 entwined over the pulleys 60 and 54. The motor 58 is constituted and constructed to operate at a speed of 15,000 1.p.m. when delivering a power of approximately 1/loth horsepower. By suitable sizing of pulleys 54 and 60, the speed of the turbine impeller 50 may be varied from 7,500 to 30,000 r.p.m., thereby to propel the flock 14 through the blower 40 at a rapid velocity.

The blower 40 and the motor 58 are each fixedly mounted upon a floor plate 64 defining the bottom closure of the motor compartment 15. The plate 64 is continuous having only a single sizable aperture 66 therein arranged coaxially with the motor 58. It will be noted here that the large end of the funnel intake 38 is spaced from the shutter 42 and plate 18 whereby as air is supplied to the rotor 5t) a draft is effected through the air intake opening 66, through the high speed motor 58, and across the gear motor 30 into the blower 40. A screen 68 is secured over the opening 66 to act as a filtering medium precluding the entry of foreign objects into the operating mechanism disposed within the compartment 15.

The fioor plate 64 is mounted in the casing 12 by means of three long rods 7 t) and tubular spacer element 72, shown best in FIGS. 3 and 4. The rounded upper ends of the rods 70 are rigidly secured to the diaphragm plate 18, as by brazing or welding, and extend downwardly beyond the end of the casing 12. The Spacer tubes 72 are received over the rod 70 to space the floor plate 64 a predetermined distance from the metal diaphragm 18. A nut 74 threadably received on the lower end of each rod '70 maintains the plate 64 securely with respect to the casing 12. The free end of the rod 70, extending beyond the nut 74, receives a protective cap portion 76 thereover thereby providing legs for the canister 10.

The high speed motor 58, being mounted with its rotating axis in a vertical plane, presents mounting bolts 77, at each end respectively, extending through complementary holes in the diaphragm plate 18 and the floor plate 64. The mounting bolts 77 are fixedly secured to the plates 18, 54, to afford a rigid, vibration-free, motor mounting structure.

The blower 48 is fixedly mounted on the floor plate 64 having a thrust receiving, bearing block 78 operatively mounted on the plate 64 for receiving the vertically arranged impeller shaft 52.

The lower edge of the casing 12 is covered with a protective element 22 similar to that received over the top` edge of the casing 12.

An electrical conduit 80 is received through a grommet 82 in the casing wall and extends into the mechanism compartment 15. The electrical conduit 80 being connected to a toggle switch 84 provided on the wall of the casing selectively supplies electric power to both the gear motor 3f) and the high speed motor 58.

The flock particles 14 received in the inlet 38 of the blower 40 issue at high velocity suspended in an air stream from the blower outlet S4 and are conveyed through a flexible conduit 86 into the flocking gun 12. Referring now to FIG. 8, the flocking gun 12 includes a hollow barrel portion 88 which projects outwardly from a handle 90 which is provided with a trigger mechanism 92 to be more fully described hereinafter.

The barrel 88 defines an expansion cavity 94 which is substantially curvilinear in cross section having an axial length substantially greater than its diameter. The end of the barrel 88 terminates in an open neck portion 96 of a lesser diameter than that of the expansion cavity 94.

A cylindrical inlet 98, generally tubular in form, opens into the cavity 94 at about the midportion thereof. A helically arranged baffle 100 is interposed in the inlet 98 and protrudes a short distance into the expansion chamber 94. An end of the flexible conduit 86 is provided with a collar 102 adapted to be slidably received over the inlet 98. It is to be appreciated that as the stream of flock is emitted from the blower outlet Sti and propelled along the flexible tubing 86 to be passed over the helical baille 40 a twisting or swirling action is imparted to the stream. It has been found that absent such a baille 100 which may be disposed as well in the chamber 94 albeit in a modified form, the stream issues from the orifice 101 of the gun 12 in an irregular pattern, the flock flowing unevenly and principally from the upper segment of the orifice 101.

A nozzle 104 is centrally mounted in the orifice 101 of the barrel 88 thereby to define with the neck 96 the annular configuration of the orice 101. The nozzle 104 is constructed and arranged to discharge a finely divided, atomized, spray of adhesive-activating agent, preferably water, into the stream of swirling flock. It is to be noted that the nozzle 104 projects the spray in a generally conical pattern having an apex angle of substantially 45 degrees.

Being threadably mounted in a hollow coupling 106, the nozzle 104 receives a supply of reagent through a conduit 108 threadably engaged in the opposite and inwardly disposed end of the coupling 106. The conduit 108 is arranged coaxially of the cavity 94 and is supported rearwardly of the barrel 88 in the handle or body portion of the gun 12. The conduit 108 may be a length of tubing fitted to the body of the gun 12 through a first bore 110 which is in communication with a second bore 112 centrally disposed in the handle 90. The bore 112 terminates in a threaded nipple 114 connectable to a source of Water under pressure through the flexible tubing or hose 116. It has been found that water supplied from the municipal water mains at 30 to 35 p.s.i. suilices to produce a mist of water issuing from the nozzle 104 having the requisite wetting properties.

A valve structure comprising a plunger 118 biased by a coil spring 120 into engagement with the pivotally mounted trigger 92 is reciprocable to control the water flow in the conduit 112. More specifically, an aperture 122 is passed into alignment with the conduit 112 when the trigger 92 is squeezed rearwardly toward the handle 90. Thus it is seen that control of the water flow to the nozzle 104 may be effected by selective actuation of the trigger 92.

Referring more particularly to the construction of the nozzle 104 and especially to FIGS. l0-l2, it is seen that a hemispherical shaped hollow body 124 of the nozzle 104 presents a narrow collar 126 for threadable engagement with one end of the bushing 106. A generally cylindrical plug element 128 is threadably received through the internally threaded surfaces `of the collar 126 and projects a head or end 129 into the hollow portion of the body 124. The head 129 of the plug 12S is generally frusto-conically shaped having a planar face 132 surrounding a small flat cone 134. When the plug 128 is operatively assembled within the body 124 the cone 134 projects through an aperture 136 in the body 124.

To maintain a passageway of predetermined dimension from the hollow portion of the body 124 through the aperture 136 thereof four grooves 138 are arranged tangentially in the frusto-conically shaped portion of the plug 128 about the point or cone 134 best shown in FIG. 11. The threaded portion of the plug 124 is provided with a narrowed section defined by parallel flat surfaces 140 which are spaced inwardly from the internally threaded surface of the collar 126 in the assembled condition of the plug 128 and body 124, best shown in FIG. l2. Thus it may be seen that water und-er pressure may pass through the coupling 106 and being filtered by a cylindrical wire gauze screen 142 passes through a pair of crescent shaped passageways 144 (FIG. l2) into the hollow portion of the nozzle 124 and through the grooves 138 and is discharged in a 45 degree cone through the aperture 136. It will be appreciated with reference to FIGS. l() and l1 in particular that the water ilows through the grooves or channels 138 in a plurality of streams that intersect each other by virtue of the orientation of the channels or grooves 138. The plurality of high speed streams of water thus directed into intersecting relation to each other effect a mutual atomization of all the water streams so that the water upon issuing from the aperture or outlet 136 is highly atomized to effect the desired moistening of the encircling stream of llock into which the atomized pattern of water diverges.

In the operation of the flocking apparatus 10 a supply of flock is rst provided in the hopper 16 and the water conduit 116 is connected to a source of water under pressure, 3() to 35 p.s.i. being adequate. Upon connection of the electrickcord 80 to an associated outlet (not shown) the toggle switch 84 may be actuated to set the gear motor 30 and the high speed motor 58 into operation, thereby to respectively activate the agitator 24 and the high speed blower 40. The reciprocable shutter 42 is moved to select the proper area of opening from the hopper into the inlet 38 of the turbine 40 thereby to control the quantity of flock 14 applied to the article such as the Conifer 17. It is to be appreciated that as the blower 40 withdraws air from the compartment a draft through the aperture 66 adjacent the high speed motor 58 is induced thereby to cool the motor 58 and the gear motor 30.

The flock 14 discharge-d in a steady stream through the turbine outlet S6 is conveyed through the flexible conduit 36 across the helical baflie 100 disposed in the inlet 98 of the flocking gun 12. Thus, a swirling action is imparted to the stream of flock as it emerges from the conduit 86 into the expansion chamber 94. Still retaining a high quantity of energy imparted to it by the turbine 40, the stream of flock issues from the annular oritice of the gun 12, shown best in FIG. 9, into the throat of the conically shaped spray concurrently issuing from the nozzle 104. The spray of water being linely divided or atomized activates the powdered adhesive carried in the tlock 14, thereby rendering the flock in an adherable state.

When it is decided to discontinue the flock applying operation, the trigger 92 of the gun 12 is released to close off the water supply and the shutter 42 is urged inwardly by pushing the handle 48 toward the center of the casing 12 thereby to close the openings 36 in the diaphragm plate 18 and to shut olf the supply of llock 14 to the turbine inlet.

It is to be appreciated that the method of the present invention is advantageous in practice in that the skill of the operator plays but a small part in the quality of the result. More specifically, where former methods required the use of two separate spray guns, one for llock and one for adhesive, a high degree of skill was necessary to properly blend the constituents into a uniformly mixed stream of sticky material.

The apparatus of the present invention is distinguished by its compactness in that the canister 12 encloses the operating mechanism wthin a confined volume thereby affording a high degree of portability to the unit. The flock applicating gun 12 is characterized by a design requiring no cleaning after use and embodying a minimum number of moving parts requiring repair or maintenance over long periods of use.

By reason of activating the stream of flock with a mist of adhesive reagent sprayed into a swirling stream of annular section, virtually all of the flock particles are uniformly coated with adhesive. This eliminates, to a major degree, the contamination of the atmosphere surrounding by dust from the flocking operation.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The present invention is claimed as follows:

1. Apparatus for flocking trees and the like with light, random fibrous flock; comprising a flock supply hopper shaped to contain loose fibrous flock in a dry state and having a circular and generally flat bottom and a generally circular sidewall extending upwardly from said bottom, a rotary agitator supported for rotation about an axis generally concentric with said hopper bottom, said agitator being disposed in overyling proximate relation to said hopper bottom and being shaped to move upon rotation in a circular path located axially in proximate relation to said hopper bottom and extending radially into proximate relation to said hopper sidewall, power drive means connected to rotate said agitator, a blower mounted in underlying relation to said hopper and having a power driven rotary impeller rotatable about a generally vertical axis, intake means forming a blower intake opening upwardly from the center of said impeller and extending upwardly into coacting relation to said hopper bottom to cause said blower to suck flock and intake air from a zone immediately adjacent said hopper bottom, said hopper bottom including means for discharging flock downwardly to be sucked with intake air from a zone adjacent the hopper downwardly through the intake means into the blower, means for controlling the rate at which flock is supplied from said hopper into said intake means, a flexible conduit for air and air entrained flock, said flexible conduit having an inlet end connectable with the outlet of said blower, a movable flock discharge and wet ting assembly connectable within the outlet end of said flexible conduit, said assembly including means defining an air and dry flock flow chamber and means for directing air and entrained dry flock from said flexible conduit into said chamber through an inlet into the chamber for flow through the chamber, a baille disposed in said inlet and having a helical twist which causes air and flock to enter said flow chamber with a swirling motion, said flow chamber defining means including air nozzle means forming a generally circular outlet opening from the chamber, liquid atomizing nozzle means disposed in said flow chamber outlet in generally coaxial relation thereto to form in cooperation with said air nozzle means an annular air and dry flock discharge nozzle opening outwardly in encircling relation to said atomizing nozzle means to discharge air and flock in a trajectory that begins in coaxial encircling relation to the atomizing nozzle means, a flexible liquid supply conduit, said assembly including a liquid supply pipe interconnectable with said flexible liquid supply conduit, said liquid supply pipe cantilevering through said flow chamber in the assembly to support said atomizing nozzle means and to supply flock wetting liquid thereto, said inlet into said chamber for air and flock entering the chamber between said flock discharge nozzle and the position where said supply pipe enters the chamber, said atomizing nozzle means including channel defining means through which fluid flows in a plurality of streams that are directed into intersecting relation to each other to effect a high order of atomization of the liquid flowing through the nozzle means, said nozzle means having liquid outlet means through which liquid that is atomized by the nozzle means issues in a circular flow pattern that diverges away from the nozzle means to effect wetting of the flock entrained in the trajectory of air and flock moving beyond said liquid outlet means from said air and flock discharge nozzle, said liquid outlet means being located axially outward beyond all other structure of said assembly to preclude wetting of any :structure of the assembly by atomized liquid issuing from the nozzle means, and means for controlling the flow of liquid through said pipe to said atomizing nozzle means.

2. Apparatus for flocking trees and the like with light, random fibrous flock; comprising a flock supply hopper shaped to contain loose fibrous flock in a dry state, a power driven agitator in said hopper, `a flock blower mounted in underlying relation to said hopper and having a power driven rotary impeller rotatable about a vertical axis, intake means forming a blower intake opening upwardly from the center of said impeller Aand extending upwardly into coacting relation to said hopper to cause said blower to suck flock and intake air from a zone adjacent the underside of said hopper, said hopper including means for discharging flock from the lower portion of the hopper to be sucked with intake air from la zone adjacent the hopper downwardly through the intake means into the blower, a flexible conduit for air and air entrained flock, said flexible conduit having an inlet end connectable with the outlet of lsaid blower, a movable flock discharge and wetting assembly connectable with the outlet end of said flexible conduit, said assembly including means defining an air and dry flock flow chamber and means for directing air Aand entrained dry flock from 4said flexible conduit into said chamber through an inlet into the chamber for flow through the chamber, baille means disposed in said inlet for causing the air and flock to enter said flow chamber with a swirling motion, said flow chamber defining means including air nozzle means forming a generally circular outlet opening outwardly from the chamber, liquid atomizing nozzle means disposed in said flow chamber outlet to form in cooperation with said air nozzle means an .annular air and dry flock discharge nozzle opening outwardly alongside said atomizing nozzle means to discharge air and flock in a trajectory extending past `and beyond said atomizing nozzle means, a flexible liquid supply conduit, said assembly including a liquid supply pipe interconnectable with said flexible liquid supply conduit, said liquid supply pipe extending through 4said flow chamber in the assembly to support said atomizing nozzle means and to supply flock wetting liquid thereto, said atomizing nozzle means including channel defining means through which fluid flows in a plurality of streams that are directed into intersecting relation to each other to effect a high order of atomization of the liquid flowing through the nozzle means, said nozzle means having liquid outlet means through which liquid that is atomized by the nozzle means issues in a flow pattern `that diverges away from the nozzle means to effect wetting of the flock entrained in the trajectory of air and flock moving beyond said liquid outlet rneans from said `air and flock discharge nozzle, said nozzle means being located axially to position said liquid outlet means axially outward beyond all other structure of said assembly to preclude wetting 'of any structure of the `assembly by atomized liquid issuing from the nozzle means, and means `for controlling the flow of liquid through said pipe to said atomizing nozzle means.

3. Apparatus for flocking trees and the like with light, random fibrous flock, comprising a flock supply container shaped to contain loose fibrous flock in a dry state, a power driven agitator `in said hopper, a flock blower, means for admitting flock from said container and air into the intake of said blower, a flexible conduit for air and air entrained flock, said flexible conduit having an inlet end connectable with the outlet of said blower, a movable flock discharge and wetting assembly connectable with the outlet end of said flexible conduit, said assembly including means defining an air and dry flock flow chamber and means for directing air and entrained dry flock from said flexible conduit into said chamber for flow through the chamber, said flow chamber defining means including air and flock nozzle means forming an outlet 4opening outwardly from the chamber, liquid atomizing nozzle means disposed in generally coaxial relation to said flow chamber outlet so that said air and flock nozzle means forms an air and dry flock discharge nozzle opening outwardly alongside said atomizing nozzle means to discharge air and flock in a trajectory extending past and beyond said atomizing nozzle means, a flexible liquid supply conduit, said assembly including liquid supply pipe means interconnectable with said flexible liquid supply conduit, said liquid supply pipe means extending through said flow chamber in the assembly to support said atomizing nozzle means and to supply flock wetting liquid thereto, said atomizing nozzle means including channel defining means for channeling liquid supplied through said pipe means into a plurality of streams that are directed into intersecting relation to each other to effect a high order of atomization of the liquid flowing through the nozzle means, said nozzle means having liquid outlet means through which liquid that is atomized by the nozzle means issues in a flow pattern that diverges away from the nozzle means to effect wetting of the flock entrained in the trajectory of air and flock moving beyond said liquid outlet means from said air and flock discharge nozzle; said apparatus including said assembly `being free of structure movable with said assembly and being disposed within said flow pattern in which liquid issues from said liquid outlet means of said atomizing nozzle means, and means for controlling the flow of liquid to said atomizing nozzle means.

4. Apparatus for flocking trees Aand the like with light, random fibrous flock, comprising a flock supply container shaped to contain loose brous flock in a dry state, an air and flock blower, means for admitting flock from said container into the stream of air that moves through said blower, a flexible conduit for air and air entrained flock, said flexible conduit having an inlet end connectable with the outlet of said blower, a movable flock discharge and wetting assembly connectable with the outlet end of said flexible conduit, said assembly including means defining an air and dry flock flow chamber and means for directing air and entrained dry flock from said flexible conduit into said flow chamber for flow through the chamber, said flow chamber defining means including air and flock nozzle means forming an air and flock outlet opening outwardly from said 4flow chamber, said assembly including liquid atomizing nozzle means disposed in a predetermined position adjacent said air and flock nozzle means so that said air and flock outlet opens outwardly alongside said atomizing nozzle means from said chamber to discharge air and flock in a trajectory extending past and beyond said atoniizing nozzle means, connector means on said assembly adapted to connect with a flexible liquid supply conduit and defining an inlet for `flock wetting liquid, said assembly including means defining a liquid passage extending from said inlet to said atomizing nozzle means to supply liquid under pressure to the latter, said atomizing nozzle means including means for effecting atomization of the liquid flowing therethrough, and said atomizing nozzle means having liquid outlet means through which liquid issues to form a flow pattern of -atomized liquid that diverges away from the nozzle means to effect wetting of the :flock entrained in the trajectory of air and flock moving beyond said liquid outlet means from said air and flock outlet; said apparatus including said assembly being free of functional structure movable with said assembly and being disposed in said `flow pattern in which liquid issues from said liquid outlet means of said atomizing nozzle means.

5. Apparatus for flocking trees and the like with light, random fibrous flock; comprising a flock supply hopper shaped to contain loose fibrous flock in a dry state and having a generally circular bottom and a generally circular sidewall extending upwardly from said bottom, a rotary agitator supported for rotation about a generally vertical axis substantially concentric with said hopper bottom, said agitator being disposed in overlying proximate relation to said hopper bottom and being shaped to move upon rotation in a circular path located axially in proximate relation to said hopper bottom and extending radially into proximate relation to said hopper sidewall, electrically powered drive means connected to rotate said agitator, an electrically'powered flock blower mounted in underlying relation to said hopper and having a power driven rotary impeller rotatably about a generally vertical axis, intake means forming a blower intake opening upwardly from the center of said impeller and extending upwardly into coasting relation to said hopper bottom to cause said blower to suck flock and intake air from a zone adjacent said hopper bottom, said hopper bottom including means for discharging flock downwardly to be sucked with intake air from a zone adjacent the hopper downwardly through said intake means into the blower, a flexible conduit for air and air entrained flock said flexible conduit having an inlet end connectable with the outlet of said blower, a movable flock discharge and wetting assembly connectable with the outlet end of said flexible conduit, said assembly including means defining an air and dry flock flow chamber and means for directing air and entrained dry flock from said flexible conduit into said chamber through an inlet into the chamber for flow through the chamber, said flow chamber defining means including air nozzle means forming a generally circular outlet opening from the chamber, said assembly including liquid atomizing nozzle means disposed in said flow chamber outlet in generally coaxial relation thereto and forming in cooperation with said air nozzle means an annular air and dry flock discharge nozzle opening outwardly in encircling relation to said atomizing nozzle means to discharge air and flock in a trajectory that begins in coaxial encircling relation to the atomizing nozzle means, a flexible liquid supply conduit adapted to be connected to a municipal water supply system, said assembly including liquid supply pipe means interconnectable with said flexible liquid supply conduit, said liquid supply pipe means cantilevering through said flow chamber in the assembly to support said atomizing nozzle means and to supply flock wetting liquid thereto, said inlet into said chamber for air and flock entering the chamber between said flock discharge nozzle and the position where said pipe means enters the chamber, said nozzle means having liquid outlet means through which liquid that is atomized by the nozzle means issues in a flow pattern that diverges away from the nozzle means to effect wetting of the flock entrained in the trajectory of air and flock moving beyond said liquid outlet means from said air and flock discharge nozzle, and said apparatus including said assembly being free of functional structure movable with the assembly and being disposed in said flow pattern in which liquid issues from said liquid outlet means of said atomizing nozzle means.

6. Apparatus for flocking trees and the like with light, random fibrous flock, comprising a flock supply container shaped to contain loose fibrous flock in a dry state, an air and flock blower, means for admitting flock from said container into the stream of air that moves through said blower, a flexible conduit for air and air entrained flock, said flexible conduit having an inlet end connectable with the outlet of said blower, a movable flock discharge and wetting assembly connectable with the outlet end of said flexible conduit, said assembly including means delining an air and dry flock flow chamber and means for directing air and entrained dry flock from said flexible conduit into said chamber for flow through the chamber, said flow chamber defining means including air and flock nozzle means forming an air and flock outlet opening outwardly from said flow chamber, said assembly including liquid atomizing nozzle means disposed in a predetermined position adjacent said air and flock nozzle means so that said air and flock outlet opens outwardly alongside said atomizing nozzle means from said chamber to discharge air and flock in a trajectory extending past and beyond said atomizing nozzle means, a flexible liquid supply conduit adapted to be connected to a municipal water supply system, said assembly including liquid passage means interconnectable with said flexible liquid supply conduit and connecting with said atomizing nozzle means to supply liquid under pressure thereto, said atomizing nozzle means including means for effecting atomization of the liquid flowing therethrough, said atomizing nozzle means having liquid outlet means through which liquid issues to form a flow pattern of atomized liquid that diverges away from the nozzle means to effect wetting of the flock entrained in the trajectory of air and flock moving beyond said liquid outlet means from said air and flock outlet, and said atomizing nozzle means being located axially to position said outlet means axially outward beyond all other structure movable with the assembly to thereby preclude wetting of any structure of the apparatus by atomizing liquid issuing from the nozzle means.

7. Apparatus for flocking trees and the like with light, random fibrous flock, comprising a flock supply container shaped to contain loose fibrous flock in a dry state, an air and flock blower, means for admitting flock from said container into the stream of air that moves through said blower, a flexible conduit for air and air entrained flock, said flexible conduit having an inlet end connectable with the outlet of said blower, a movable flock discharge and wetting assembly connectable with the outlet end of said flexible conduit, said assembly including means defining an air and dry flock flow chamber and an air and flock inlet into the flow chamber, means for directing air and flock from the outlet end of said flexible conduit through said inlet into said flow chamber for flow through the chamber, a baille disposed in said inlet for causing air and flock to enter the flow chamber with a swirling motion, said flow chamber defining means including air and flock nozzle means forming an air and flock outlet opening outwardly from said flow chamber, liquid atomizing nozzle means disposed in a predetermined position adjacent said air and flock nozzle means so that said air and flock outlet opens outwardly alongside said atomizing nozzle means from said flow chamber to discharge air and flock in a trajectory extending past and beyond said atomizing nozzle means, a flexible liquid supply conduit, said assembly including liquid pas.- sage means interconnectable with said flexible liquid supply conduit and connecting with said atomizing nozzle means to supply liquid under pressure thereto, said atomizing nozzle including channel dem'ng means through which liquid flows in a plurality of streams that are di- Vrected into intersecting relation to each other to effect atomization of the liquid flowing through the nozzle means, and said nozzle means having liquid outlet means through which liquid issues to form a flow pattern of atomized liquid that diverges away from the nozzle means to effect wetting of the flock entrained in the trajectory of air and flock moving beyond said liquid outlet means from said air and flock discharge nozzle; said apparatus including said assembly being free of functional structure movable with said assembly and being disposed in said flow pattern in which liquid issues from said liquid outlet means of said atomizing nozzle means.

8. Apparatus for flocking trees and the like with light, random fibrous flock; comprising a flock supply hopper shaped to contain loose fibrous flock in a dry state and having a circular and generally flat bottom and a generally circular sidewall extending upwardly from said bottom, a rotary hub centrally disposed in relation to said bottom for rotation about a generally vertical axis, a plurality of generally horizontal flock feeding arms diverging radially from said hub in substantially equally spaced relation to each other and in overlying proximate relation to said bottom for rotation with the hub, one of said arms being curved at its outer end and extending into close proximity to said sidewall to move flock inwardly from the sidewall, other arms of said plurality of arms terminating substantial distances radially inward of the radially outer extremity of said one arm, a power drive connected to said hub to rotate the hub and said arms, said bottom defining therein a flock outlet area through which flock is discharged from the hopper upon rotation of said arms; said flock outlet area extending over a flock discharge zone of said hopper bottom that subtends to the axis of said hub a radial angle that is equal approximately to a whole multiple of the radial angle between adjacent ones of said arms so that upon rotation of said hub a substantially constant number of said arms, equal to at least two in number, moves in overlying relation to said discharge zone to effect the discharge of flock at a substantially constant rate through said outlet area; an air and flock blower mounted in underlying relation to said hopper and having a power driven rotary impeller rotatable about a generally vertical axis, intake means forming an air and flock intake passage extending upwardly from the center of said impeller into underlying relation to said flock discharge zone of said hopper bottom to receive flock from said flock outlet area, said intake means defining an air intake opening into said intake passage adjacent the underside of said hopper bottom, means for controlling the rate at which flock is discharged through said outlet area into said intake passage, a flexible conduit for air and air entrained flock, said flexible conduit having an inlet end connectable with the outlet of said blower, a movable flock discharge and wetting assembly connectable with the outlet end of said flexible conduit, said assembly including means defining an air and dry flock flow chamber and means for directing air and entrained dry flock from said flexible conduit into said chamber for flow through the chamber, said ilow chamber defining means including air and flock nozzle means forming an air and flock outlet opening outwardly from the chamber, liquid atomizing nozzle means disposed adjacent said air and flock nozzle so that said air and flock outlet opens outwardly alongside said atomizing nozzle means from said chamber to discharge air and flock in a trajectory extending past and beyond said atomizing nozzle means, said assembly including means defining a liquid supply inlet and a passage extending from said inlet to said atomizing nozzle means to supply liquid under pressure thereto, said atomizing nozzle means including means for effecting atomization of the liquid flowing therethrough, and said atomizing nozzle means having liquid outlet means through which liquid issues to form a flow pattern of atomized liquid that diverges away from the nozzle means to effect wetting of the flock entrained in the trajectory of air and flock moving beyond said liquid outlet means from said air and flock outlet; said apparatus including said assembly being free of functional structure movable with said assembly and disposed in said flow pattern in which liquid issues from said liquid outlet means of said atomizing nozzle means.

9. Apparatus for flocking trees and the like with light, random fibrous flock; comprising a flock supply hopper shaped to contain loose fibrous flock in a dry state and having a circular bottom and a generally circular sidewall extending upwardly from said bottom, a rotary hub centrally disposed in relation to said bottom for rotation about a generally vertical axis, a plurality of generally horizontal flock feeding arms diverging radially from said hub in substantially equally spaced relation to each other and in overlying proximate relation to said bottom for rotation with the hub, one of said arms being curved at its outer end and extending into close proximity to said sidewall to move flock inwardly from the sidewall, other arms of said plurality of arms terminating substantial distances radially inward of the radially outer extremity of said one arm, a power drive connected to said hub to rotate the hub and said arms, said bottom defining therein a flock discharge outlet area through which flock is discharged from the hopper upon rotation of said arms; said flock discharge area extending over a ock discharge zone of said hopper bottom that subtends to the axis of said hub a radial angle that is equal approximately to a Whole multiple of the radial angle between adjacent ones of said arms so that upon rotation of said hub a substantially constant number of said arms, equal to at least two in number, moves in overlying relation to said outlet zone to effect the discharge of flock at a substantially constant rate through said outlet area; an air and iiock blower mounted in adjacent relation to said hopper, intake means forming an air and ock intake passage extending from said blower into underlying relation to Said flock discharge zone of said hopper bottom to receive ock from said ock discharge outlet area, means for controlling the rate at which flock is discharged through said outlet area into said intake passage, a exible conduit for air and air entrained flock, and said flexible conduit having an inlet end connectable with the outlet of said blower to receive a fast moving stream of air and entrained ock from the blower.

10. Apparatus for flocking trees and the like with light, random iibrous tlock; comprising a flock supply hopper shaped to contain loose brous flock in a dry state and having a circular and generally flat bottom and a generally circular sidewall extending upwardly from said bottom, a rotary agitator supported for rotation about an axis generally concentric with said hopper bottom, said agitator being disposed in overlying proximate relation to said hopper bottom and being shaped to move upon rotation in a circular path located axially in proximate relation to said hopper bottom and extending radially into proximate relation to said hopper sidewall, electrically powered drive means connected to rotate said agitator, an electrically powered flock blower mounted in underlying relation to said hopper and having a power driven rotary impeller rtatable about a generally vertical axis, said hopper bottom defining a dock outlet disposed substantially in overlying relation to the center of said impeller, blower intake means extending upwardly from said blower into adjacent relation to said hopper bottom and defining an air and ock intake passage extending vertically upwardly from the center of said impeller to said flock outlet in the hop per bottom to receive ock from said outlet, means for controlling the rate at which dock is discharged from the hopper through said ock outlet in the hopper bottom into said air and ock intake passage, said intake means deining adjacent said hopper bottom an air intake opening through which air from outside the hopper is sucked into said air and flock intake passage to move downwardly through the passage into the blower to form a vehicle which carries down into and through the blower ock discharged from said ock outlet, a ex-ible conduit for air and air entrained flock, and said flexible conduit having an inlet end connectable with the outlet of said blower.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,811,637 6/1931 Ladisch 239-406 1,849,945 3/ 1932 Mobley et al 239-307 1,935,977 11/1933 Geer 239-336 1,997,897 4/1935 Conley 239-336 2,323,995 7/ 1943 Hiroshima 222-238 2,522,936 9/ 1950 Ferguson 239-424 2,547,042 4/1951 Pole 117-27 2,563,457 8/1951 Dolbey 117-27 2,792,151 5/ 1957 Wagner 222-193 2,820,672 1/1958 Arce et al 239-379 2,840,417 6/1958 Dorak et al 239-335 2,889,083 6/ 1959 Schwinhorst 222-193 2,929,436 3/ 1960 Hampshire 239-428 2,930,532 3/1960 Johnson 239-335 2,936,774 5/1960 Holley et al 222-333 2,984,421 5/ 1961 Hission 239-406 3,025,006 3/ 1962 Maurath 239-142 FOREIGN PATENTS 4/ 1960 Italy.

RALPH E. ZIMMERMAN, RAYMGND S. STROBEL,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. APPARATUS FOR FLOCKING TREES AND THE LIKE WITH LIGHT, RANDOM FIBROUS FLOCK; COMPRISING A FLOCK SUPPLY HOPPER SHAPED TO CONTAIN LOOSE FIBROUS FLOCK IN A DRY STATE AND HAVING A CIRCULAR AND GENERALLY FLAT BOTTOM AND A GENERALLY CIRCULAR SIDEWALL EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BOTTOM, A ROTARY AGITATOR SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS GENERALLY CONCENTRIC WITH SAID HOPPER BOTTOM, SAID AGITATOR BEING DISPOSED IN OVERLYING PROXIMATE RELATION TO SAID HOPPER BOTTOM AND BEING SHAPED TO MOVE UPON ROTATION IN A CIRCULAR PATH LOCATED AXIALLY IN PROXIMATE RELATION TO SAID HOPPER BOTTOM EXTENDING RADIALLY INTO PROXIMATE RELATION TO SAID HOPPER SIDEWALL, POWER DRIVE MEANS CONNECTED TO ROTATE SAID AGITATOR, A BLOWER MOUNTED IN UNDERLYING RELATION TO SAID HOPPER AND HAVING A POWER DRIVEN ROTARY IMPELLER ROTATABLE ABOUT A GENERALLY VERTICAL AXIS, INTAKE MEANS FORMING A BLOWER INTAKE OPENING UPWARDLY FROM THE CENTER OF SAID IMPELLER AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY INTO A COACTING RELATION TO SAID HOPPER BOTTOM TO CAUSE SAID BLOWER TO SUCK FLOCK AND INTAKE AIR FROM A ZONE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SAID HOPPER BOTTOM, SAID HOPPER BOTTOM INCLUDING MEANS FOR DISCHARGING FLOCK DOWNWARDLY TO BE SUCKED WITH INTAKE AIR FROM A ZONE ADJACENT THE HOPPER DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE INTAKE MEANS INTO THE BLOWER, MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE RATE AT WHICH FLOCK IS SUPPLIED FROM SAID HOPPER INTO SAID INTAKE MEANS, A FLEXIBLE CONDUIT FOR AIR AND AIR ENTRAINED FLOCK, SAID FLEXIBLE CONDUIT HAVING AN INLET END CONNECTABLE WITH THE OUTLET OF SAID BLOWER, A MOVABLE FLOCK DISCHARGED AND WETTING ASSEMBLY CONNECTABLE WITHIN THE OUTLET END OF SAID FLEXIBLE CONDUIT, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING MEANS DEFINING AN AIR AND DRY FLOCK FLOW CHAMBER AND MEANS FOR DIRECTING AIR AND ENTRAINED DRY FLOCK FROM SAID FLEXIBLE CONDUIT INTO SAID CHAMBER THROUGH AN INLET INTO THE CHAMBER FOR FLOW THROUGH THE CHAMBER, A BAFFLE DISPOSED IN SAID INLET AND HAVING A HELICAL TWIST WHICH CAUSES AIR AND FLOCK TO ENTER SAID FLOW CHAMBER WITH A SWIRLING MOTION, SAID FLOW CHAMBER DEFINING MEANS INCLUDING AIR NOZZLE MEANS FORMING A GENERALLY CIRCULAR OUTLET OPENING FROM THE CHAMBER, LIQUID ATOMIZING NOZZLE MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID FLOW CHAMBER OUTLET IN GENERALLY COAXIAL RELATION THERETO TO FORM IN COOPERATION WITH SAID AIR NOZZLE MEANS AN ANNULAR AIR AND DRY FLOCK DISCHARGE NOZZLE OPENING OUTWARDLY IN ENCIRCLING RELATION TO SAID ATOMIZING NOZZLE MEANS TO DISCHARGE AIR AND FLOCK IN A TRAJECTORY THAT BEGINS IN COAXIAL ENCIRCLING RELATION TO THE ATOMIZING NOZZLE MEANS, A FLEXIBLE LIQUID SUPPLY CONDUIT, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A LIQUID SUPPLY PIPE INTERCONNECTABLE WITH SAID FLEXIBLE LIQUID SUPPLY CONDUIT, SAID LIQUID SUPPLY PIPE CANTILEVERING THROUGH SAID FLOW CHAMBER IN THE ASSEMBLY TO SUPPORT SAID ATOMIZING NOZZLE MEANS AND TO SUPPLY FLOCK WETTING LIQUID THERETO, SAID INLET INTO SAID CHAMBER FOR AIR AND FLOCK ENTERING THE CHAMBER BETWEEN SAID FLOCK DISCHARGE NOZZLE AND THE POSITION WHERE SAID SUPPLY PIPE ENTERS THE CHAMBER, SAID ATOMIZING NOZZLE MEANS INCLUDING CHANNEL DEFINING MEANS THROUGH WHICH FLUID FLOWS IN A PLURALITY OF STREAMS THAT ARE DIRECTED INTO INTERSECTING RELATION TO EACH OTHER TO EFFECT A HIGH ORDER OF ATOMIZATION OF THE LIQUID FLOWING THROUGH THE NOZZLE MEANS, SAID NOZZLE MEANS HAVING LIQUID OUTLET MEANS THROUGH WHICH LIQUID THAT IS ATOMIZED BY THE NOZZLE MEANS ISSUES IN A CIRCULAR FLOW PATTERN THAT DIVERGES AWAY FROM THE NOZZLE MEANS TO EFFECT WETTING OF THE FLOCK ENTRAINED IN THE TRAJECTORY OF AIR AND FLOCK MOVING BEYOND SAID LIQUID OUTLET MEANS FROM SAID AIR AND FLOCK DISCHARGE NOZZLE, SAID LIQUID OUTLET MEANS BEING LOCATED AXIALLY OUTWARD BEYOND ALL OTHER STRUCTURE OF SAID ASSEMBLY TO PRECLUDE WETTING OF ANY STRUCTURE OF THE ASSEMBLY BY ATOMIZED LIQUID ISSUING FROM THE NOZZLE MEANS, AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF LIQUID THROUGH SAID PIPE TO SAID ATOMIZING NOZZLE MEANS. 